


Other Half

by AngelicCharizard



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M, heteronormativity causes problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28949982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelicCharizard/pseuds/AngelicCharizard
Summary: After becoming physically separated from Patri, William has to figure out what he means to him -- with absolutely no experience in the matter.
Relationships: Patri/William Vangeance
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	Other Half

**Author's Note:**

> Volume 18 had a little section where the captains listed what kind of people they were attracted to and William's response spurred well... this  
> (Also featuring a joke I've already made >///>)

For the first time in almost twenty years, William was alone.

It was quiet, and cold. He hated it.

William knew Patri was out there if he looked for him, but after what they had done... it was best they stayed apart – William repeated this to himself over and over in his head every time he felt the cold emptiness that was solitude.

It was beginning to become unbearable.

"William!"

William froze. He ran to his quarters' window to find the source of the voice.

It was Patri.

William helped Patri inside, pulling him into a tight embrace. "What are you doing here?! What if someone saw you?"

Patri buried his face into William's shoulder. "...no one did…"

"Why are you here?" William pulled back, looking at Patri's ashamed expression.

"I… I wanted to see you."

William's gaze softened. This was the stubborn, affectionate Patri he saw in his shared memories. "And I you."

The two of them talked for hours, laughing as they caught up on things they didn't even think about sharing while it was unconscious.

Eventually Patri stood up. "It's getting late… I should get going…"

William grabbed his wrist. Patri looked at him, waiting for an answer, but he hesitated.

William laughed bashfully. "Sorry, it's silly…"

Patri continued to wait for an explanation, so William provided it. "It's… hard to sleep without you. Could you stay? Just for tonight?"

Patri's cheeks burned and he nodded quickly. "I feel the same way…"

. . .

William lay facing Patri and pressed his forehead against his. "It's strange not being able to know what you're thinking… and a bit scary."

Patri nodded. "Exactly!"

William laughed. "Though, with you, it's not all that hard to guess." Patri pouted and William brushed a lock of hair from Patri's face. "But it's one of the many things I love about you."

Patri's heart jumped into his throat.

He didn't want to think about it or acknowledge it, especially now, but he was fairly certain that he was deeply in love with William.

William grabbed Patri's hand and smiled. "Good night, my dear friend."

"Good night."

. . .

William awoke to see Patri's sleeping face. His heart swelled to see him so peaceful and content.

William brushed his cheek. "Patri, it's morning."

Patri's face screwed up into a pout. "Now?"

William laughed. "Yes, now, before my squad wakes up." He sat up and looked for his slippers when Patri's arms wrapped around his waist. "Patri?"

Patri pressed his cheek against the back of William's neck. "Just… a few more minutes…"

William grabbed Patri's hands, interlacing their fingers together when he heard the door.

A few short knocks, and it swung open. "Captain, we just got a report that ––" Sylph squeaked, causing Yuno to look up at his captain. He stood there wordlessly until he recognized Patri. "Captain…?"

William's ears burned. "Y-Yuno, I can explain–"

Sylph let out a tiny 'harrumph'. "It makes sense – sharing a body is a very intimate experience, I can't imagine what it would be like to be apart from Yuno for even one minute!"

"Bell, shut up."

Patri scowled. "I'm sure whatever it is can wait a few more minutes."

Yuno glared at Patri, then looked at William expectantly. William grimaced. "N-no, Yuno wouldn't barge in if it weren't important – I umm…" William pulled himself from Patri and quickly finished getting dressed.

He took a step toward Yuno, then looked back at Patri. "...Will I see you again?"

"Absolutely."

"...soon?"

Patri grabbed his hand and placed a magic item in it. "We'll use this so we can meet."

William placed his other hand on Patri's and squeezed it, smiling. He then left with Yuno.

"I'm just saying, you don't have to be so bashful about it, Captain!"

" _ Bell. _ "

. . .

Patri returned to the forest to see Rhya waiting for him. "Hey, kid. You were gone a while. We started to get a bit worried."

Patri looked away. "...oh."

"...still not gonna say where you went?"

Patri's ears burned. " _ No. _ "

"Ah." Rhya's gaze softened. "You're stuck on him, huh? The human that looks like Licht?"

"That's not why ––" Patri scowled. "They don't look the same to me… they're different…"

"Yeah," Rhya folded his arms. "This one's not just a childhood crush, huh?"

"It was never a…" Patri's brow furrowed. It was pointless to try and lie to Rhya. "...it'll end up the same…"

"Hey, you can't know that if you don't ask!" Rhya scratched his head. "Or uhh… I guess you lived in his head all that time, so you probably know who he likes…"

Patri looked at his feet. "I guess… if he did feel anything for anyone, I never noticed…"

"Yeah, a little busy with blind hatred I guess…" Rhya shrugged. "But he's definitely single now, right?"

Patri groaned. "Please, don't try and help."

"Of course not!" Rhya's teasing smile softened. "Just don't suffer alone if you ever get bad news, okay?"

Patri nodded slowly.

. . .

"Captain, what's your type?"

"You can't just ask that, he's our  _ captain _ !"

William laughed, a bit surprised by the sudden question. "It's alright. I wouldn't want any of you to be afraid to approach me with anything, even if you think it might be silly."

William pondered the question a bit. "I suppose if I had to pick someone it would be a cheerful woman who didn't mind the way I looked."

"Captain…"

One of the squadmembers cocked her head. "Wait – what do you mean 'if you had to pick'?"

William blinked. "Is that not what you were asking?"

She folded her arms. "Well… sorta, but… I mean more like… who was your first love, and stuff?"

"Eep! I wanna know too, but isn't that too personal?!"

William thought a bit longer. His first love?

His mind went back to the first time he felt Patri. He was so sad and angry – William felt an overwhelming urge to protect him and make him happy again.

He shook his head. That couldn't be what the girls were referring to. "I suppose I've never had one."

"No way!"

"So dedicated to his work…"

The two girls waved. "I hope you find her soon, Captain!"

William chuckled and waved as the two girls left.

He then felt his heart leap as the magic item Patri gave him buzzed.

. . .

William met Patri at the border of the strong magic region, on a nice hill overlooking the water.

Patri sat with his knees tucked against his chest. "...it wasn't too late notice?"

William shook his head. "I happened to be free – I had just enough time to meet you here." He took Patri's hand and squeezed it, smiling.

Patri took a breath, trying to form words. "William… have you ever…" He frowned. "Did I prevent you… from having a love life?"

William laughed. "I actually had a conversation like that with some of my squadmembers earlier." He shrugged. "I suppose it would have been hard to be with someone with you in my head." Patri was his first priority, after all.

Patri nodded briskly. "Y-yes, I suppose that would have been… difficult…"

William blinked. "What about you? Now that you have a body of your own."

Patri tried to keep a straight face. "I have thought a lot about it, yes."

William laughed. "Well, I'd love to be of help if I could, but you being an enemy of the kingdom might make it difficult to find a woman that suits you."

Oh.

"Yeah, forget it." Patri pulled his arms closer to his body. "You're right – I'm supposed to be atoning for what I've done…"

William's brow furrowed and he scooted closer to Patri, William placing his hands on Patri's. "Haven't you already been through enough?"

"I guess not…"

. . .

William looked up from his desk as he heard a knock on the door. When it didn't open, he told them to come in.

Yuno walked in nervously, taking a breath when he saw William at his desk.

Sylph sighed happily. "Oh, good! We were afraid your psycho boyfriend was gonna be here aga–"

Sylph was cut off by Yuno's hand shoving her aside. "Sorry captain – I have yesterday's mission reports here."

William shook his head. "Ah, no, I should be the one apologizing." His eyes darkened. "Patri continues to be a weakness of mine…"

Yuno's expression scrunched up in displeasure. "Well, I think there are some things that the vice captain doesn't need to know…"

"Pardon?"

"You're sorta like an older brother/uncle to Yuno," Sylph explained. "So we'd really rather not hear about your sex life."

William was taken aback. "M-my–" His face turned red. "I-I'm terribly sorry, there’s been a misunderstanding––" He cleared his throat. "Patri simply stayed the night, we didn't…"

"Good." Yuno seemed pleased despite his deadpan. "I still don't like him."

William laughed nervously, trying to compose himself. "I can understand why – but he's a good person underneath." He smiled. "And as you've already seen, quite passionate."

Sylph pantomimed gagging.

"...I suppose that was too soon, we are still rebuilding from his umm… passion project…"

"Wait, you meant the attack _? _ "

William blinked. "What else could I have meant?"

"Captain, I think you might need to think your word choice over more carefully."

William's brow raised. "What do you mean?"

Sylph perked up. "Oh, you're right! Didn't he say something super weird when Patri got revived, too?" She thought a bit. "Something like, 'oh, how I've longed to touch you'?"

William blushed. "I-Is that really what I said?!"

Yuno shrugged. "Bell's usually wrong about that kind of stuff but that's pretty close to what I remember, too."

William stared at his desk. He didn't realize how his words could be misinterpreted – or was it misinterpretation? He did – while Patri resided in his head – so badly want to hold his hand, to embrace him, to kiss him and tell him everything was going to be okay…

It dawned on William.

Patri  _ was _ his first love.

William cleared his throat. "I'll try to be more cautious in the future."

Yuno set the reports on his desk and left. "Thanks."

Now alone, William pulled out the magic item Patri had given him.

. . .

William returned to his office and nearly jumped when he saw Patri inside.

Patri pouted. "You said you wanted to see me."

William laughed. "I said that so we could plan on when to meet." He smiled. "But I'm glad you're here."

Patri looked away, blushing. "...yeah."

"I thought more about the conversation I had with you and my squadmembers." Patri attempted to hide his interest. "They asked me who my first love was – and at the time I didn't fully realize it."

Patri looked at William, worry in his eyes. "Was it... before I woke up?"

William smiled softly. "I suppose. I was aware of you before you were fully aware of me." He looked at Patri, almost apologetically. "You were – are my first and only love, Patri."

Patri inhaled sharply, tears welling up in his eyes. "William…" He shook his head. "Do you… do you really love me the same way I love you?"

William pressed his forehead against Patri's. "More than any man…" He wiped Patri's tears away. "Or any woman." He kissed him. "I want you by my side always, as we've been for so long."

Patri sobbed, holding William tight.


End file.
